Custom white owner here (yes, inset as well). My cabinetmaker called it a "lacquer" paint - don't really know what exactly that means (I know I should but I can only learn so much) but it is holding up great so far. We moved back in August, me, DH, the black lab and the 3/6/9-year old kids.

The only divot is in one of the upper cabinets, along the lower trim where I myself clocked it with a coffee mug. I clearly was trying to empty the dishwasher before I'd had my coffee ;) But kids tearing around the corner throwing things at each other, stuff spilling, all no problem.

Maybe some folks on this forum can tell you what exactly goes into making a lacquer paint. He was able to take my selected color (BM Chantilly Lace) and make it perfectly.
GG

The only thing that happened to mine after some serious abuse from the kitchen being the only place to ride wagons and drive Tonka trucks was where an idiot plumber refused to accept that my dishwasher wasn't like any he'd seen before and somehow slung it into the cabinets on the other side. Maple vs maple. Dented paneled DW, dented drawers. No finish could have saved them. But paint was easier to touch up.

We've been in our kitchen a few years: we have a recessed panel with a beaded edge, white and black painted. We have two young children (7 & 5) and multiple pets, and I am pretty good about cleaning the cabs every few weeks (I use Windex and a microfiber). What I've noticed is the edge where the raised border meets the recessed panel has had some wear, and I cannot figure out why. This is on some of the cabs, not all, and it is hardly noticeable on the white. The black cabs have worn much more poorly with a fair bit of chipping. A friend of mine loves our black cabinets and wanted to have her new kitchen fitted with black painted cabinets -- I told her "no, don't do it." A black stain, yes, but at least in my experience, I cannot recommend black paint.

But you asked about white, and our white has held up really well.

Our oil-based cream enamel was sprayed on two years ago. It has held up well to scrubbing. I do have a few tiny dings around the top lip of the trash pullout drawer. I have not tried to touch it up, but expect it to be an easy job when I finally get around to it.

No kids, no dogs, but white custom cabs since October 2010.
So far no scratches, chips, peels or any other problems.
Ours are painted with a catalyzed lacquer which is very similar to the paint that is used on your car.
It is very durable.

No kids or pets here...but lots of entertaining goes on in my kitchen. I have one or two chips which have fallen off the paint. Eventually (a few years) I'd like to get them repainted but for now I can live with it as it is a working kitchen. My cabinets are fairly "bullet proof" I would say.

I have store bought cabinets (lowes or home depot style) at one of my other properties and that finish is much more of a 'cover' than a paint I would say. The finish is almost plastic like in feel. Those have never chipped or stained but they also don't look nearly as nice.

Good luck.

The "baked" on finish does not make it tougher..it just allows the cabinet manufacturer to get it to dry faster. They use it as a marketing ploy. My custom shop uses the same lacquer (actually conversion varnish (CV) finish that the big boys use but allows it to air dry and when it is dry it has the same durability. The durability is in the finish not the drying technique.

Travis Alfrey
Aberdeen, NC

My cabinets are being built right now and (a few days delayed) are going to be installed Monday and painted white. I plan to get them painted onsite (right or wrong, a decision made when I placed the cab order) My cab guy recommended that my painter use pre-cat laquer finish as it is supposed to be 'much more durable and easier and faster to apply'. My painter is accustom to using an oil based enamel but appears to have no concerns using the laquer. However, I called the laquer rep ML campbell and they recommend that the pre-cat laquer only be sprayed in a booth (not in a home). My cab guy says as long as my kitchen is masked off well and ventilated, we are out of the house for a day, we should be fine.

Any of you have experience with laquer enough to know if this is true - if I'm OK to have laquer sprayed on cabs in the home? Or too risky? I know the laquer is HIGHLY flammable.

Sorry, maybe better for paint forum, but I've had no luck getting feedback on this and need to make a decision in like two days, and I'm just as concerned about durability of white cabs as OP. Toddler, dog, and one on the way.

OP - I can say that my cab maker demonstrated how durable the laquer finish is and I thought it seemed pretty dang good. He scratched it with a knife and then used laquer thinner to 'melt' the lacquer around it and smooth out the scratch. pretty slick. Eased my concerns about touch up of lacquer cabinets vs paint (I was afraid the laquer would be harder to me to touch up with a paint brush)

I insisted on low-VOC paint and we have had a few marks. In general they are holding up fine.